The Wii Zapper and Link’s Crossbow Training hands-on

The $20 Wii Zapper may not be the best solution for gun-like Wii solutions, …

The Wii Zapper, in its $20 shell glory, is out. I picked up mine, and marveled at the fact I just spent $20 on some plastic. The nunchuk fits into the back easily, and the cable then goes along the bottom until it is wrapped around a spool inside a cavity in the controller. From there the connection comes up the side of the gun and connects to the Wiimote. It's a somewhat odd way to handle the wire, but it works. With both controllers fit inside the Zapper it has a good weight and feel.

The problem is that the Zapper takes a two-handed grip, and the "trigger" is in the forward position. This takes some getting used to, and it's far from intuitive. The trigger is actually just a level that hits the B button on the bottom of the Wiimote, and while the connection seems pretty strong I hope it doesn't break down with use. Of course, for only $20, the replacement price wouldn't be that huge, but still. It's not how I would prefer to see the unit put together. Nonetheless, it's a solid little gun, and with a little bit of practice the two-handed design really lets you steady your aim. I can't help but think a third-party solution may best it in the future though.

The Zapper also comes with Link's Crossbow Training, and while it's never really explained where Link got a crossbow or why he needs to be trained up so quickly, I'm happy to report that the game is a blast. There are three types of levels: you have to aim at wooden targets, you spin in circles defending yourself against encroaching enemies, or you have full control of Link using the analog stick from the nunchuk. Each level has all three game types, and there are nine levels in all. Sure, you can play through each one while getting the minimum points to go forward in about an hour or so, but where is the fun in that? The Zelda-based levels, enemies, and situations all look and play great, and the compulsion to get a higher score gives the game some great replayability. Each consecutive hit to a target ups your multiplier, so the big scores are only going to come with high precision and a lot of practice. Keep in mind that this still isn't a true light-gun solution; you can't aim down the barrel, you aim using an on-screen reticle. But the faking of a light-gun works very well. The play can, however, feel a little floaty for this reason.

While the game play of Link's Crossbow Training may look basic at first, the little twists you find in each level and the constant battle for a higher score keep you interested for much longer than you may assume. The ability to hit green enemies to give yourself fully automatic fire may kill your multiplier, but it's great fun. So are the fire-arrows which are activated by holding the fire button for a few beats. The splash damage can take out multiple enemies—very satisfying. Also, be sure to look around for hidden things to shoot for bonus points, and maybe even a secret area...

The Zapper and the game together make a great buy for $20, and I have both Umbrella Chronicles and Ghost Squad in my possession, so expect thoughts on how the hardware holds up on more demanding shooters. Even if you're not interested in any other game that uses the Zapper, Link's Crossbow Training is worth the money alone.